Msgr. Nalty: Eucharistic processions trumpet Christ’s Real Presence

Msgr. Christopher Nalty, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish/St. Stephen Church in New Orleans, traces the history of eucharistic processions in anticipation of the Gospel to be proclaimed this weekend – the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi Sunday). The full text of the Gospel is printed below:

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’” Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. – Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

By Msgr. Christopher Nalty
Pastor, Good Shepherd Parish, N.O.

The words of Jesus from the Last Supper have always guided Christians in their understanding of the holy Eucharist.

Although St. Paul was not in the Upper Room on Holy Thursday, he also received the teachings. As he asked the Corinthians: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor.10:16). St. Paul reminded the Corinthians that the Eucharist is no ordinary food, that it is really the Body and Blood of Christ according to “the tradition which I handed on to you that came to me from the Lord Himself.” (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

The post-apostolic Church maintained the same teachings. St. Ignatius of Antioch, writing in 110 A.D., said: “Some are not admitted to the Eucharist because they do not admit that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, the flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His graciousness, raised from the dead.”

In the year 167 A.D., Justin the Martyr wrote: “For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God’s Word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the Word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus.”

It wasn’t until more than 1,000 years after the Ascension of Jesus that any Christians doubted this immemorial doctrine. In about the year 1050 A.D., an argument arose between Lanfranc (the Archbishop of Canterbury) and the theologian Berengarius of Tours, France. Although Berengarius did not deny the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, he believed that it was a “spiritual” presence rather than a “real” presence.



To defend the doctrine of the Real Presence, Archbishop Lanfranc instituted the first eucharistic procession for the celebration of Palm Sunday where a statue of Jesus “entering Jerusalem” was replaced with a receptacle carrying the holy Eucharist. Those present were instructed to kneel as the Eucharist passed them. The symbolism was that the same Jesus who entered Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday was entering again. Through the dispute between Lanfranc and Berengarius, the doctrine of transubstantiation was developed – leading to a eucharistic renaissance in the 12th and 13th centuries, and the eventual establishment of the feast known as “Corpus Christi” in 1264 A.D.

The beginning of the 14th century saw the creation of a new form of eucharistic vessel that allowed the faithful to gaze upon the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass: the monstrance. The earliest surviving monstrance – in the shape of a tower surmounted with a crucifix and flanked by statues of Our Lady and St. John – dates from 1286 A.D. As these monstrances traveled down the streets, they were afforded an entourage of flowers, canopies, bells and candles befitting a King.

Many parishes around the world, including my own Good Shepherd Parish, take the occasion of the Feast of Corpus Christi to honor our Lord and publicly profess our faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist by having a eucharistic procession.

Our procession is led by our first communicants, who sprinkle rose petals along the path.

Following is our thurifer (the person holding the burning incense), to represent the prayers of the people ascending to heaven.

The monstrance is carried solemnly by the priest, who is covered by a special canopy affording Christ the King his royal dignity.

Following the canopy is our schola cantorum (choir), singing eucharistic hymns professing our faith in the Real Presence.

Finally, the people follow their king with great joy.

All hail the Blessed Sacrament, where Christ becomes our food!